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Washington, DC, December 2, 2020 (OPS) – The COVID-19 pandemic “disproportionately affects the most vulnerable, especially our populations of African descent” and APHO director Carissa F. Etienne today urged health authorities to “address this urgent challenge”.
In a press conference, Etienne said: “We are taking this issue as a priority and integrating it into our programs,” focusing on better data for targeted prevention and treatment, greater participation in health programs that target communities of African origin and improved access to health services.
Although data for the region is limited, mortality rates among black and mixed-race Brazilians are 1.5 times higher than among white citizens, and in Ecuador, African-born males are three times more likely to die from COVID. -19 compared to their female counterparts, and they suffer 50 percent higher death rates from COVID than men in the country’s mestizo population, Etienne said. “In the United States, the CDC reports that a black person is 2.6 times more likely to contract the virus and twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than their white counterparts,” he noted.
“This disproportionate burden is not unique to COVID-19, and indeed is reflected across our entire health spectrum, from noncommunicable diseases to maternal health outcomes. Especially for women of color, who typically have a harder time accessing the health services they need, the PAHO director said.
Afro descendants account for about one fifth of all people in the Americas. They are the dominant racial group in most Caribbean countries, over half of the Brazilian population, 13% of the US population and about one in ten people in Ecuador and Panama, he noted.
“Systemic racism can pose obstacles to adequate care, cause distrust of healthcare workers and ultimately cause worse outcomes for black patients in many countries in our region. COVID-19 has shed a strong light on this reality – and against the backdrop of urgent demands for racial equality in the United States, Brazil and other countries in our region – we urge health authorities to address this urgent challenge, “Etienne said.
Etienne noted that 1.6 million new cases and 22,000 deaths from COVID-19 were reported in our region last week. “In November alone, we recorded over six million new cases in the Americas. This is an increase of almost 30% compared to the numbers at the end of October, “he said.
“These continuing increases in COVD-19 cases are why we need to act quickly, especially in places where the workload has not been controlled. And as we move closer to an effective COVID-19 vaccine right now, we must continue to rely on the public health measures we can all take that have helped curb previous outbreaks; that is, relying on home measures, practicing social distancing and wearing masks, ”Etienne said.
“It is also imperative that Afro descendants in our region have the means to protect themselves from the pandemic, particularly the social protection and support systems that are needed to adhere to public health measures,” he said. “They are among the essential workers who power our health systems, run our public transportation, care for our elderly and care for the sick. Despite their invaluable contribution to society, their work, often in the informal sector, makes it harder for them to work from home, practice social distancing, or take a break, so they are more likely to get infected and, consequently, to more high risk of dying from the virus. “
Dr Etienne noted that the Pan American Health Organization is celebrating its 118th birthday today, adding, “After nine months of living under the squeeze of COVID-19 in the Americas, the principles of our foundation remain at the center of daily work. of the APHO on the pandemic. and eventually we will open our way out. The pandemic is an urgent call for action against racial inequality, an opportunity for us to do better and deliver on our promise of health for all. “
Contacts
Sebastian Oliel
Daniel Epstein
Nancy Nusser
[email protected]
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